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Kyle Lowry didn’t commit to a Toronto return on locker cleanout day, but he sure did not sound like a man that will be heading anywhere else this summer.

“Of course I can see myself back. We just went to Game 7, first round. Nobody expected us to be there. Of course I can see that,” Lowry said.

“It’s not really convincing (that needs to be done on Toronto’s part). It’s just one of those things where I have to sit down and look at everything, weigh the options and do what’s best for myself and my family. But it’s still too early.

“Those things are on my mind. But I really haven’t got into a deep process of thought yet. We’re still two months away. We’ve still got a long way to go, a lot of thinking and talking to do.”

Lowry is not worried about all of the negatives outsiders always seem to attach to playing in Toronto.

“If you build a winning franchise, it’s a little different — when you win. All of those things, taxes and that stuff, it matters. At the same time, if you’re winning, it’s cool. You’ll figure it out. It’ll be OK,” he said.

Lowry admitted that sharing a backcourt with a star and a friend he considers a brother, in DeMar DeRozan, means a lot to him.

“Yeah. To play with a guy who is an all-star, play with a guy that’s learning to do it in both ends of the floor, why wouldn’t you want to play with that? Why wouldn’t you want to be on a team with a guy like that? If you go around the league and find a guy like that, you want to play with him,” Lowry said.

For his part, DeRozan wouldn’t even entertain the notion that Lowry might not be back.

“I’m not worried about that at all, it will all work itself out,” DeRozan said when it was his turn at the podium.

Others championed Lowry as well.

“He’s grown in so many ways with his basketball IQ, his mentality, his approach to the game, his overall skill set. He’s a workhorse out there,” said Patrick Patterson. “He sacrifices his body on every single play and he plays with a lot of heart and passion ... if Toronto wants to get better in the future, have someone to build around and be the key, the glue for the basketball team, what better person to start with than Kyle?”

Lowry prioritized “winning, family, situation, just how I can grow as a player and a man. Organization. Franchise.”

Now that he’s had a taste of winning in Toronto now, he’d be hard-pressed to find a team able to pay him what he’ll want that is closer to his Philadelphia home than the Raptors. And he has already grown significantly as a human being and knows Masai Ujiri and Tim Leiweke intend to continue moulding this team into a model franchise.

But nothing is iron-clad. While it makes perfect sense for Lowry to return, money will talk. Los Angeles might be far away, but that is an elite franchise with money to burn and a need at the point, given the fragile state of Steve Nash. Other suitors could emerge.

Which will make this summer a tough one for Lowry.

“It’s very difficult, but at the end of the day it’s still a business and you have to be a businessman for the situation that you’re in. But I am very happy,” he said.

“This has been one of the best seasons I’ve had, through and through. Best coaches, teammates, upstairs. It’s been great. I am happy. Without a doubt, I can say I’m happy.

“I appreciate the fans. Man, what they’ve done this year for us, and even them cheering us off the floor yesterday was an amazing thing. Them being outside of Maple Leaf Square was awesome. The fan base is unbelievable. We just let them know — me, I would let them know how much I appreciate them. And I know the team appreciates them.”

The fans appreciate Lowry, too, and would be crushed to see him go. That seems unlikely, but only time will tell.

@WolstatSun

BACK TO SCHOOL FOR VALANCIUNAS

Jonas Valanciunas is going to have a busy summer.

After missing just one game in his second NBA season, Valanciunas played seven more against Brooklyn. Now he’ll spend time honing his game, including with former Raptor Hakeem Olajuwon, before playing for Lithuania at the FIBA World Championship in Spain in late-August and early September.

“I’m going to have a lot of different coaches, shooting coach, post move coach (Olajuwon),” Valanciunas said on Monday.

The big man said he has a lot of areas to improve on.

“A lot of work to do this summer to get better for next year, get even stronger,” he said.

More specifically? “Defensive skills, to be able to protect the rim better. My physicality. My running technique, strength and then basketball stuff, low post, shots ... basically everything,” he said with a smile.

Valanciunas said the mental game also will be an area he delves into. He said he was too nervous ahead of Game 7 and it impacted his play.

He is not worried about trying to pack in too much this summer. “I’m still 21 years old, so, I don’t need a lot of rest. Two weeks and I’m fresh again,” he said.